journals 1-4
1. Impressions of New York
When I think of New York, an immense wave of pride comes over me. New York signifies diversity, history, and opportunity. I am the daughter of an Italian immigrant, all three of the those defining characteristics hold true to me. My father and his parents came to this country in search of a better life and opportunities for the future. They chose New York, because only in New York will you find such a diverse population and expanding culture. The history of New York holds a countless number of stories similar to my own family's. And that is only part of the beauty, that is New York. New York is stunning regardless of the season, whether it is covered in snow, saturated in warm fall orange and reds, or in full bloom in the spring, and summer. I find the beauty and culture of New York to be beyond comparison and quite frankly incredible.The beauty and history of New York is evident in each borough, Long Island, and Western New York. Each area has its own beauty and treasures to share. The history of New York is visible in its streets, in the architecture, the family run shops and restaurants, and the towns.I could stare at the architecture of city for hours. Every area has its on experiences to explore, I think that is my favorite thing about New York, depending on your mood, you could go to any area and experience something new.
When I think of New York City, I immediately think of the atmosphere. The fast paced hustle and bustle of the busy streets. I can see the crowds waiting to cross the blocks, I can smell the roasted nuts food trucks on the street corners and the lovely dirty sewage smell that is so pronounced, especially on a hot and humid day. I can hear the sounds of cars passing by, horns honking, and street vendors trying for your attention. I think the ionic skyline and all it represents. With the atmosphere, comes the attitude. The attitude of New York City is fearless, ambitious, persistent and above all else resilient. Resilience is what speaks to most people seeking opportunities. New York itself has been beat up and kicked down but nothing has ever kept it down. I feel that is truly what draws people to New York, yes it is beautiful, full of culture, there is always something exciting to do but at the end of the day it is the attitude of New York, the resilience of it that draws people in. And to be apart of that is truly remarkable, which is why I am so proud.
I have some serious guilt being born and raised on Long Island, I have never take advantage of all that surrounds me in New York. When I was a kid my family would go as far as College Point to visit my grandparents, and it has remained the same way for my adult life. I do not have many memories of going to the City has child, not until I was a teenager and would go with some friends. Once I was a teenager and now in early adulthood, I go to the city to visit family or for a preplanned outing involving a museum, game, play, or concert. I never just go to enjoy and take it all in. I have never been to the Bronx, Brooklyn, or Staten Island, I think that is a damn shame, especially for a girl who has lived her entire life in this state. There are so many things I know that I am missing out on. This is why am I so very excited for this course. I want to go to any of the boroughs and not feel like a visitor. I am proud to live here and I want to be able to say that I have explored all the wonderful places that make me so proud!
When I think of New York, an immense wave of pride comes over me. New York signifies diversity, history, and opportunity. I am the daughter of an Italian immigrant, all three of the those defining characteristics hold true to me. My father and his parents came to this country in search of a better life and opportunities for the future. They chose New York, because only in New York will you find such a diverse population and expanding culture. The history of New York holds a countless number of stories similar to my own family's. And that is only part of the beauty, that is New York. New York is stunning regardless of the season, whether it is covered in snow, saturated in warm fall orange and reds, or in full bloom in the spring, and summer. I find the beauty and culture of New York to be beyond comparison and quite frankly incredible.The beauty and history of New York is evident in each borough, Long Island, and Western New York. Each area has its own beauty and treasures to share. The history of New York is visible in its streets, in the architecture, the family run shops and restaurants, and the towns.I could stare at the architecture of city for hours. Every area has its on experiences to explore, I think that is my favorite thing about New York, depending on your mood, you could go to any area and experience something new.
When I think of New York City, I immediately think of the atmosphere. The fast paced hustle and bustle of the busy streets. I can see the crowds waiting to cross the blocks, I can smell the roasted nuts food trucks on the street corners and the lovely dirty sewage smell that is so pronounced, especially on a hot and humid day. I can hear the sounds of cars passing by, horns honking, and street vendors trying for your attention. I think the ionic skyline and all it represents. With the atmosphere, comes the attitude. The attitude of New York City is fearless, ambitious, persistent and above all else resilient. Resilience is what speaks to most people seeking opportunities. New York itself has been beat up and kicked down but nothing has ever kept it down. I feel that is truly what draws people to New York, yes it is beautiful, full of culture, there is always something exciting to do but at the end of the day it is the attitude of New York, the resilience of it that draws people in. And to be apart of that is truly remarkable, which is why I am so proud.
I have some serious guilt being born and raised on Long Island, I have never take advantage of all that surrounds me in New York. When I was a kid my family would go as far as College Point to visit my grandparents, and it has remained the same way for my adult life. I do not have many memories of going to the City has child, not until I was a teenager and would go with some friends. Once I was a teenager and now in early adulthood, I go to the city to visit family or for a preplanned outing involving a museum, game, play, or concert. I never just go to enjoy and take it all in. I have never been to the Bronx, Brooklyn, or Staten Island, I think that is a damn shame, especially for a girl who has lived her entire life in this state. There are so many things I know that I am missing out on. This is why am I so very excited for this course. I want to go to any of the boroughs and not feel like a visitor. I am proud to live here and I want to be able to say that I have explored all the wonderful places that make me so proud!
2. Flushing, Astoria, & Long Island City, Queens! Oh my!
The adventures of the day began in Penn Station, as we headed to the E train to make our way to Queens. Of all the five boroughs, Queens is the largest and has the second largest population. (ENY p. 213) Speaking of the population, Queens has the most ethnically diverse population in the U.S. (ENY p.213). We got to Queens by the famous 7 train, more commonly known as the "International Express". When we made it to our first stop at Willets Point, there were at least 25 7 trains sitting in the yard. And that was where it all started. It was an amazing trip. I did not know what to expect for the first day, but I had an excellent time.
Our first stop in Queens was Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was home to the World's Fair in 1930-1940 and in 1964-1965. The World's Fair was an event where people from all different countries and companies could showcase their culture and designs. At the 1964-1965 Fair, there were various Pavilions set up to showcase future technology. It was set up in the style of individual Pavilions. The current step up of Disney's Epcot mimics the style used at the World's Fair. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was not always an attraction site, in the years before the World's Fair it was a garbage dump. It was the "Corona Ash Dumps", it eventually cleared by Robert Moses, the Parks Commissioner at the time, to become the location for the World's Fair. (ENY p. 217) It was the garbage dump referenced in The Great Gatsby, that Nick and Gatsby pass (The Great Gatsby is my favorite book of all time).
Within the park there are so many attractions,two of which are the Unisphere and the Queens museum. Unisphere is a massive steel representation of earth. It was created for the 1964-1965 World's Fair. The piece was created to represent the theme of the World's Fair "peace through understanding", which signified global interdependence.(ENY p. 218) The piece is beautiful and it is extremely complex, it stands 12 stories high, with a diameter of 120 feet, and it weighs in at 900,000 pounds. (ENY p.218) Also, the mist from the fountain was very refreshing. The Unisphere was not the only World's Fair piece to be showcased in the park. The Queens Museum, is home to the Panorama from the 1964-1965 World's Fair and the Water Shed exhibit from the 1939-1940 World's fair, among other exhibits.
The first exhibit in the Queens Museum, was a fine art piece. It was a representation of Beijing made almost entirely of Chinese school books. The piece consisted of sections of the city on rolling metal bases, which looked as if the ground had begun to shift. The piece did not accurately describe how the city looked currently. We were asked by the guide what could have caused this change in the city, which individual's in a city are able to bring about change? Many of us responded by saying the government officials, those in power. And the guide agreed it was individuals with power, and then had us reflect on the use of school books to create the piece. It was said that the artist wanted to signify that a city's youth, their students with proper education, are the ones with the power, who can bring about change. I found this piece to be incredibly beautiful and I appreciated the meaning behind it. Being a student, I think it is easy to forget that myself and my peers are the future of the city, the state, the country, and so forth. We have the power to bring about great change.
The Panorama at the Queens Museum was absolutely amazing. The sheer size of the piece was humbling, the piece laid 9,000sq ft below us. It depicted the five boroughs with stunning accuracy containing more than 895,000 buildings (ENY p.221). There was even a little plane going in and out of the airports in Queens. I cannot fathom how long that took to create, and all the individuals who were involved. The guide explained that it was so accurate you could easily find a specific apartment building. It showcased the beauty and complexity that is New York. All the skyscrapers and bridges were depicted. It was interesting to learn the scale of the piece, every one inch was 100ft. The scale brought a whole new perspective to the piece. You would look at the Statue of Liberty and it looked tiny and then pan back to see the massively tall skyscrapers. The guide explained that the skyscrapers were all built relatively in the same location because of the terrain. Underneath, the skyscrapers is Manhattan Shitz which provides the sturdy ground to build such large buildings on. The guide described it as bedrock. The whole experience at the Queens Museum was awesome, I was able to learn so may new things about the history of New York that I never heard of before.
After the Queens Museum we headed to Astoria. In Astoria we headed to Steinway Street and walked to the Museum of Moving Image. Astoria had become a center for film making and was the home of the Players-Laskey Corporation. That corporation would later become Paramount studios. (ENY p223) The film industry largely moved to California because of the weather, the climate there allows for longer days of filming and more sunny weather. This museum was so much fun! The museum has exhibits for viewing and interactive ones as well. The museum goes to through the history of film, and television. The interactive portions of the museum were so much fun, Mayra, Melanie, Kerry, and I had so much fun in the sound voice over room. It was absolutely hilarious but also very interesting to understand the technology. The second floor is even more interesting than the third. I really wished we had a lot more time there. I will have to go back and explore all I did not get to see. From what I was able to experience my favorite two exhibits were the Chuck Jones exhibit and all the technicolor equipment. I grew up with all the Bugs Bunny cartoons in my house so I really enjoyed seeing all the sketches. The clip of Meet Me in St.Louis playing brought me back to a film course I took for my Associates degree, where I learned all about the first uses of technicolor in film. I will absolutely be going back to the museum, I have a list of family and friends that I need to take.
Long Island City was our next stop, here we were able to see gentrification at work. Long Island City was a largely industrial area, but is undergoing a big transformation. (ENY p.225) This is transformation has come about because of gentrification. Gentrification is when affluent, wealthy individuals come into a poor area, and start to rebuild it making it more up and coming. This often displaces the previous occupants because it is now too expensive for them to live there. As we walked through Long Island City it was clear to see, we walked several blocks heading to Gantry Park right along the East River and the change was visible. When we got to the water, the entire park is fresh and newly renovated. We were surrounded by beautiful apartment building boasting their modern architecture style. It is so beautiful there, during our time there, there was a wedding taking place on the board walk over looking the water. One of the attractions to see there is the Long Island sign, which explains how Gantry park received its name. It is named after the "railroad gantries that were used to transfer cargo from ships to trains to be transported throughout Long Island." (ENY p.226) Aside from being beautiful itself, it has some great views of some skyscrapers and famous buildings.
The adventures of the day began in Penn Station, as we headed to the E train to make our way to Queens. Of all the five boroughs, Queens is the largest and has the second largest population. (ENY p. 213) Speaking of the population, Queens has the most ethnically diverse population in the U.S. (ENY p.213). We got to Queens by the famous 7 train, more commonly known as the "International Express". When we made it to our first stop at Willets Point, there were at least 25 7 trains sitting in the yard. And that was where it all started. It was an amazing trip. I did not know what to expect for the first day, but I had an excellent time.
Our first stop in Queens was Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was home to the World's Fair in 1930-1940 and in 1964-1965. The World's Fair was an event where people from all different countries and companies could showcase their culture and designs. At the 1964-1965 Fair, there were various Pavilions set up to showcase future technology. It was set up in the style of individual Pavilions. The current step up of Disney's Epcot mimics the style used at the World's Fair. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was not always an attraction site, in the years before the World's Fair it was a garbage dump. It was the "Corona Ash Dumps", it eventually cleared by Robert Moses, the Parks Commissioner at the time, to become the location for the World's Fair. (ENY p. 217) It was the garbage dump referenced in The Great Gatsby, that Nick and Gatsby pass (The Great Gatsby is my favorite book of all time).
Within the park there are so many attractions,two of which are the Unisphere and the Queens museum. Unisphere is a massive steel representation of earth. It was created for the 1964-1965 World's Fair. The piece was created to represent the theme of the World's Fair "peace through understanding", which signified global interdependence.(ENY p. 218) The piece is beautiful and it is extremely complex, it stands 12 stories high, with a diameter of 120 feet, and it weighs in at 900,000 pounds. (ENY p.218) Also, the mist from the fountain was very refreshing. The Unisphere was not the only World's Fair piece to be showcased in the park. The Queens Museum, is home to the Panorama from the 1964-1965 World's Fair and the Water Shed exhibit from the 1939-1940 World's fair, among other exhibits.
The first exhibit in the Queens Museum, was a fine art piece. It was a representation of Beijing made almost entirely of Chinese school books. The piece consisted of sections of the city on rolling metal bases, which looked as if the ground had begun to shift. The piece did not accurately describe how the city looked currently. We were asked by the guide what could have caused this change in the city, which individual's in a city are able to bring about change? Many of us responded by saying the government officials, those in power. And the guide agreed it was individuals with power, and then had us reflect on the use of school books to create the piece. It was said that the artist wanted to signify that a city's youth, their students with proper education, are the ones with the power, who can bring about change. I found this piece to be incredibly beautiful and I appreciated the meaning behind it. Being a student, I think it is easy to forget that myself and my peers are the future of the city, the state, the country, and so forth. We have the power to bring about great change.
The Panorama at the Queens Museum was absolutely amazing. The sheer size of the piece was humbling, the piece laid 9,000sq ft below us. It depicted the five boroughs with stunning accuracy containing more than 895,000 buildings (ENY p.221). There was even a little plane going in and out of the airports in Queens. I cannot fathom how long that took to create, and all the individuals who were involved. The guide explained that it was so accurate you could easily find a specific apartment building. It showcased the beauty and complexity that is New York. All the skyscrapers and bridges were depicted. It was interesting to learn the scale of the piece, every one inch was 100ft. The scale brought a whole new perspective to the piece. You would look at the Statue of Liberty and it looked tiny and then pan back to see the massively tall skyscrapers. The guide explained that the skyscrapers were all built relatively in the same location because of the terrain. Underneath, the skyscrapers is Manhattan Shitz which provides the sturdy ground to build such large buildings on. The guide described it as bedrock. The whole experience at the Queens Museum was awesome, I was able to learn so may new things about the history of New York that I never heard of before.
After the Queens Museum we headed to Astoria. In Astoria we headed to Steinway Street and walked to the Museum of Moving Image. Astoria had become a center for film making and was the home of the Players-Laskey Corporation. That corporation would later become Paramount studios. (ENY p223) The film industry largely moved to California because of the weather, the climate there allows for longer days of filming and more sunny weather. This museum was so much fun! The museum has exhibits for viewing and interactive ones as well. The museum goes to through the history of film, and television. The interactive portions of the museum were so much fun, Mayra, Melanie, Kerry, and I had so much fun in the sound voice over room. It was absolutely hilarious but also very interesting to understand the technology. The second floor is even more interesting than the third. I really wished we had a lot more time there. I will have to go back and explore all I did not get to see. From what I was able to experience my favorite two exhibits were the Chuck Jones exhibit and all the technicolor equipment. I grew up with all the Bugs Bunny cartoons in my house so I really enjoyed seeing all the sketches. The clip of Meet Me in St.Louis playing brought me back to a film course I took for my Associates degree, where I learned all about the first uses of technicolor in film. I will absolutely be going back to the museum, I have a list of family and friends that I need to take.
Long Island City was our next stop, here we were able to see gentrification at work. Long Island City was a largely industrial area, but is undergoing a big transformation. (ENY p.225) This is transformation has come about because of gentrification. Gentrification is when affluent, wealthy individuals come into a poor area, and start to rebuild it making it more up and coming. This often displaces the previous occupants because it is now too expensive for them to live there. As we walked through Long Island City it was clear to see, we walked several blocks heading to Gantry Park right along the East River and the change was visible. When we got to the water, the entire park is fresh and newly renovated. We were surrounded by beautiful apartment building boasting their modern architecture style. It is so beautiful there, during our time there, there was a wedding taking place on the board walk over looking the water. One of the attractions to see there is the Long Island sign, which explains how Gantry park received its name. It is named after the "railroad gantries that were used to transfer cargo from ships to trains to be transported throughout Long Island." (ENY p.226) Aside from being beautiful itself, it has some great views of some skyscrapers and famous buildings.
3. Brooklyn; The County of Kings!
The trip to Brooklyn got off to a rough start for Kerry and myself. The Ronkonkoma line was delayed so we were adventuring on our own for a little while there. We made our way to Coney Island for the first stop of the day and we caught up to the group. I really enjoyed going to Coney Island, my grandparents grew up in Brooklyn and would always talk about their trips to Coney Island. My grandmother would be very disappointed if she knew that I got pizza while visiting Coney Island and not a famous Nathan's hot dog. While the pizza was quite tasty, I do regret not having a hot dog. I guess I will just have to go back and make it right! It was interesting to learn that at one time Coney Island was in fact an Island, not a peninsula which it is today. (ENY pg.193) As soon as you get out of the subway station you see Nathan's Famous immediately. I loved the boardwalk, I may just be a sucker for boardwalks but it was so relaxing to just meander up and down. It was a very different feel that what you normally have when you visit any of the boroughs. The fast paced atmosphere almost seems to come to a halt. The amusement park was fun to walk around, even though my stomach cannot handle the rides, it is always enjoyable to watch as people go by on the roller coasters. The Cyclone is famous Coney Island rollercoaster. It is an 85 foot tall, wooden roller coaster. (ENY pg. 195) Even if my stomach could handle the ride, I think the rickety wooden ride might deter me from going on it. From Coney Island we headed to Brooklyn Heights.
Our first stop in Brooklyn Heights was the Transit Museum. This museum was awesome, it was so informative, interactive, and overall so interesting. I feel that I always take the subway system for granted, I never really think of what it was like prior to its existence. Our guide was explained that the first real need for an underground transit system was experienced during the Great Blizzard of 1888. The massive amounts of snowfall hindered the above ground trains from running. People were stuck for days and the city came to screeching halt. After this the first subway line was completed in 1904. It wasn't until 1940 that New York City (New York Independent Subway System) bought out the two private lines, Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and the Inter-borough Rapid Transit Company, thus taking control over the whole subway system. (ENY pg. 202) The guide explained the two different methods of building the subway system. The first method was deep rock mining or deep bore tunneling. This is the more complicated method and involved using dynamite and a bore machine to create tunnels. The guide spoke about "sand hogs" these were men who built the tunnels under water. This is an extremely dangerous job because the changes in pressure. The guide stated the pressure under water was 2.5 times more than normal pressure. The sand hogs could only work thirty minutes at a time because of the high pressure and the severe heat. According to the guide, these are the highest paid construction workers in the country. The other method of creating subway lines is the "cut and cover" method. This involved digging up the street and then laying the tunnel below it and then recovering it with new road. The deep bore tunneling method is the most preferred method however obviously more complicated. The cut and cover method disrupts everyday life for New Yorkers making it less desirable. (ENY pg. 202) After we finished with the guided portion of the tour we were able to explored the lower level. This level was fill of all old train cars throughout the years, the turnstiles, and exhibits explaining some of the technology behind the trains. It was so cool to walk through all the cars, looking at how much they have changed in design over the years. I really enjoying looking at all the old ads that we in the cars. I really enjoyed this museum and have an idea of who I will be taking back there with me.
After leaving the museum, we walked around and explored Brooklyn Heights. It was here that we got to see some beautiful and ionic architecture. Seeing beautiful brownstones and Greek influenced buildings. The Brooklyn Borough Hall building was the perfect example of Greek Revival architecture style. The columns of the building are in the Ionic style, there are three forms of Greek columns, the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Another stunning building, done in the Italian Renaissance style was the Chase building. Almost the entire interior of the building was covered in gorgeous marble. The interior was modeled after the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. (ENY pg. 204) After taking in some of the architecture, we walked to the Brooklyn Height Promenade. It was there you could see first hand Robert Moses destruction, as you looked down from the promenade you were on top on the BQE. This made a lot of New Yorkers very unhappy and eventually led to movements to preserve the area. From here I really enjoyed going to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. It was particularly lovely there, you could just sit on the steps that overlooked the water an enjoy the view, or you could ride Jane's Carousel. This Carousel is housed in 9 million dollars worth of transparent jewel box. (ENY pg.208) This was one of the highlights of my trip. It was made particularly enjoyable by an awesome band playing their woodwind and brass instruments. From here we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge!
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge was incredible! It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to do it again! The Brooklyn Bridge is the oldest suspension bridge in the U.S., it was finished in 1883, by Emily Roebling, the original designer John Roebling's daughter in law. The bridge is 1.1 miles long and before it was built New Yorkers would have to use the ferry to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The original designer John Roebling died from gangre, he left the project to his son Washington Roebling. Washington soon became ill and the responsibility fell in the lap of his wife Emily. It took 600 workers, 15 million dollars, and 14 years to complete the bridge. There were 27 men, who were "sand hogs" who died during the creation of the bridge. They died from the decompression sickness that would occur because of the changes in air pressure. (ENY pg. 209) The first person to cross the bridge was Emily Roebling with a rooster on her lap, it was supposed to be President Chester A. Arthur to cross it first however Emily crossed it earlier that same day. She was responsible for its completion and felt she had the right to it first! (ENY pg 209). Walking the bridge was a moment I will never forget. It was so busy, and I had no clue the amount of people that walk and bike across it. The views from the bridge are outrageous! I really enjoyed looking at the structures of the bridge, like the massive suspension cables. I am looking forward to doing it again soon! I feel if I lived in Brooklyn close to the bridge I would cross it as a means of leisurely exercise. it was just so cool!!
The trip to Brooklyn got off to a rough start for Kerry and myself. The Ronkonkoma line was delayed so we were adventuring on our own for a little while there. We made our way to Coney Island for the first stop of the day and we caught up to the group. I really enjoyed going to Coney Island, my grandparents grew up in Brooklyn and would always talk about their trips to Coney Island. My grandmother would be very disappointed if she knew that I got pizza while visiting Coney Island and not a famous Nathan's hot dog. While the pizza was quite tasty, I do regret not having a hot dog. I guess I will just have to go back and make it right! It was interesting to learn that at one time Coney Island was in fact an Island, not a peninsula which it is today. (ENY pg.193) As soon as you get out of the subway station you see Nathan's Famous immediately. I loved the boardwalk, I may just be a sucker for boardwalks but it was so relaxing to just meander up and down. It was a very different feel that what you normally have when you visit any of the boroughs. The fast paced atmosphere almost seems to come to a halt. The amusement park was fun to walk around, even though my stomach cannot handle the rides, it is always enjoyable to watch as people go by on the roller coasters. The Cyclone is famous Coney Island rollercoaster. It is an 85 foot tall, wooden roller coaster. (ENY pg. 195) Even if my stomach could handle the ride, I think the rickety wooden ride might deter me from going on it. From Coney Island we headed to Brooklyn Heights.
Our first stop in Brooklyn Heights was the Transit Museum. This museum was awesome, it was so informative, interactive, and overall so interesting. I feel that I always take the subway system for granted, I never really think of what it was like prior to its existence. Our guide was explained that the first real need for an underground transit system was experienced during the Great Blizzard of 1888. The massive amounts of snowfall hindered the above ground trains from running. People were stuck for days and the city came to screeching halt. After this the first subway line was completed in 1904. It wasn't until 1940 that New York City (New York Independent Subway System) bought out the two private lines, Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and the Inter-borough Rapid Transit Company, thus taking control over the whole subway system. (ENY pg. 202) The guide explained the two different methods of building the subway system. The first method was deep rock mining or deep bore tunneling. This is the more complicated method and involved using dynamite and a bore machine to create tunnels. The guide spoke about "sand hogs" these were men who built the tunnels under water. This is an extremely dangerous job because the changes in pressure. The guide stated the pressure under water was 2.5 times more than normal pressure. The sand hogs could only work thirty minutes at a time because of the high pressure and the severe heat. According to the guide, these are the highest paid construction workers in the country. The other method of creating subway lines is the "cut and cover" method. This involved digging up the street and then laying the tunnel below it and then recovering it with new road. The deep bore tunneling method is the most preferred method however obviously more complicated. The cut and cover method disrupts everyday life for New Yorkers making it less desirable. (ENY pg. 202) After we finished with the guided portion of the tour we were able to explored the lower level. This level was fill of all old train cars throughout the years, the turnstiles, and exhibits explaining some of the technology behind the trains. It was so cool to walk through all the cars, looking at how much they have changed in design over the years. I really enjoying looking at all the old ads that we in the cars. I really enjoyed this museum and have an idea of who I will be taking back there with me.
After leaving the museum, we walked around and explored Brooklyn Heights. It was here that we got to see some beautiful and ionic architecture. Seeing beautiful brownstones and Greek influenced buildings. The Brooklyn Borough Hall building was the perfect example of Greek Revival architecture style. The columns of the building are in the Ionic style, there are three forms of Greek columns, the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Another stunning building, done in the Italian Renaissance style was the Chase building. Almost the entire interior of the building was covered in gorgeous marble. The interior was modeled after the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. (ENY pg. 204) After taking in some of the architecture, we walked to the Brooklyn Height Promenade. It was there you could see first hand Robert Moses destruction, as you looked down from the promenade you were on top on the BQE. This made a lot of New Yorkers very unhappy and eventually led to movements to preserve the area. From here I really enjoyed going to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. It was particularly lovely there, you could just sit on the steps that overlooked the water an enjoy the view, or you could ride Jane's Carousel. This Carousel is housed in 9 million dollars worth of transparent jewel box. (ENY pg.208) This was one of the highlights of my trip. It was made particularly enjoyable by an awesome band playing their woodwind and brass instruments. From here we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge!
Walking the Brooklyn Bridge was incredible! It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to do it again! The Brooklyn Bridge is the oldest suspension bridge in the U.S., it was finished in 1883, by Emily Roebling, the original designer John Roebling's daughter in law. The bridge is 1.1 miles long and before it was built New Yorkers would have to use the ferry to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The original designer John Roebling died from gangre, he left the project to his son Washington Roebling. Washington soon became ill and the responsibility fell in the lap of his wife Emily. It took 600 workers, 15 million dollars, and 14 years to complete the bridge. There were 27 men, who were "sand hogs" who died during the creation of the bridge. They died from the decompression sickness that would occur because of the changes in air pressure. (ENY pg. 209) The first person to cross the bridge was Emily Roebling with a rooster on her lap, it was supposed to be President Chester A. Arthur to cross it first however Emily crossed it earlier that same day. She was responsible for its completion and felt she had the right to it first! (ENY pg 209). Walking the bridge was a moment I will never forget. It was so busy, and I had no clue the amount of people that walk and bike across it. The views from the bridge are outrageous! I really enjoyed looking at the structures of the bridge, like the massive suspension cables. I am looking forward to doing it again soon! I feel if I lived in Brooklyn close to the bridge I would cross it as a means of leisurely exercise. it was just so cool!!
4. Chelsea & The Village
This adventure to the city began by admiring the overall lackluster, hideous design of Penn Station. Penn Station is the busiest train station in the U.S., it sees over 600,000 passengers daily. (ENY. pg 113) It was named after the Pennsylvania Railroad and was at one time one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. It was in the Beaux-art style, with Greek columns, and its inspiration was the Baths of Carcalla in Rome. Unfortunately, there was no real preservation movements in place and in 1960s the station was torn down and replaced. It was argued that the previous station was too costly to maintain. I knew that this was not original station however I did not know just how stunning the original station was. It really is a shame, it is one of the most famous pieces of New York history and tourists come from all over to see it and well there is really nothing special to see. The only positive to come from this was some many New Yorkers were appalled by the destruction of the station and preservation movements began. It is almost impossible to tear down a historical building. (ENY. pg 114)
We headed to the Chelsea as we left Penn Station. Chelsea was not always the hip, art centered neighborhood that is known to be today. In the 1800s there was railroad tracks that ran through Chelsea making it a heavily industrialized area. The industry of the area drew immigrants in looking for work. It remained this way from many years, and then it started to attract artists because of all the empty warehouses. After this influx of artists, the abandoned above ground freight line was changed into an elevated garden, The Chelsea High line. This was my first visit to the High line, I did not know what to expect. It really makes you forget you are in the city, as you are surrounded by beautiful gardens. I really enjoyed seeing all the art from above, there were original pieces within the Highline, some pieces were displayed in people's backyards, and showcased on the sides of buildings. I really loved the piece displayed on the side of a building of the soldier dipping and kissing the woman after his return home. That piece as well as the painting of the city, including the subway car. The High line was open to the public in 2006 and has been a hit ever since. (ENY. pg. 84)
Chelsea is famous for its large number of art galleries. After we explored the High line, we headed to the galleries for a little culture. I am not crazy about modern art, I have trouble connecting to it and finding meaning in it. However, I really enjoyed the "Horses" exhibit by Deborah Butterfield at Danese Corey gallery. The exhibit was large, almost life size horse sculptures made of driftwood. They were so impressive, I was amazed by the accuracy and movement of the pieces. I have always had an appreciation for sculptures just the level of patience it takes to create one is impressive. I also enjoyed the gallery that featured large oil paint paintings of heads. The oil paint was applied in the thick impasto style, it is amazing the paint even dried. It is nice to know, especially as a college student that you can go into these galleries free of charge. At least its free to look at them because they are not even close to being affordable. (ENY pg. 85)
As we ventured through the Village, we started in the West Village and headed down Greenwich Avenue. Our first stop was Jefferson Market Garden and Jefferson Market Library. It was a beautiful garden, set up with tables and little nick-nacks. The building itself was in the High Victorian Gothic style and one of the only remaining ones in Manhattan (ENY pg. 90) however the real story behind the building was far more elicit. The library was used as the local courthouse at one time. It was the center of "The Crime of the Century", Harry K. Thaw was put on trail for the murder of Stanford White, the designer of Washington Square Arch. Thaw apparently shot White after White had an alleged affair with Thaw's fiancee. Thaw was eventually declared insane and put into an asylum. However, there were several accounts of White having unsatisfiable sexual desires and the scandalous affair with Thaw's fiancee was a wild media craze. It was interesting to hear about, even then people were still crazed by celebrity gossip and scandals. (ENY pg. 91) As we continued on walking Greenwich Ave, we passed Christopher Street. Christopher Street is largely associated with the gay rights movement. On Christopher Street, there is the Stonewall Inn, which is said to be one of the most important sites involved in the gay rights movement. The Stone Wall riots were the first organized gay movement, prior to this the punishment for a gay individual caught in the act included strangulation, burning, or being drowned. By the 20th century, there was more tolerance however they were still abused and discriminated against. In 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn as they normally would however this time the customers fought back. This lead to 6 days and nights of rioting, thousands of gay men and women took to the streets to protest. This event began movement for equal rights for gays and lesbians. (ENY pg. 92)
We then moved to Washington Square Park, the park itself very enjoyable to stroll through. As we first entered we observed a 300 year old massive Elm tree, which is 110ft high. This tree was known as "Hangman's Elm." Before the park was the park it is now, it was a potter's field and used for public executions. So it was quite creepy to think that we were walking on the burial ground for people. (ENY pg. 95) It has a large fountain in the center which provides a cool space in the heat of the summer. If you are standing outside of the park in front of the Arch, which was designed by Stanford White, you will notice the fountain is directly centered in the arch. That was not always the case, the fountain was moved to be in the center The Arch displayed Washington at war on the right and at peace on the left. Within the park itself are some interesting characters, there is the infamous pigeon man, some musicians, a painter, and a unique vendor. The pigeon man created a stir because as he stood up all the pigeons flocked and began flying very low over head, that was like a scene out the film the birds. After we explored the park we went to have lunch on McDougal street. The street is full of many different restaurants, all with very good food!
In the East Village we went Merchant's House Museum. I really enjoyed this museum. The museum is the preserved home of a wealthy family of the 19th century known as the Tredwell Family. The house was built in 1832 and purchased by the Tredwell family in 1835. The Tredwell's were a very large family, there was Mr. and Mrs. Tredwell and their 8 children. The youngest child, Gertrude lived in the house her entire life, even dying in the bedroom that was once her father's. Gertrude lived in the home for 93 years and really never changed anything to the home. (ENY pg. 99) The house and all its furnishings remained the same since 19th century. The house consisted of 5 floors and a backyard area. There was the bottom floor which served as a kitchen and family room for the Tredwells. The 2nd floor were two large rooms for entertaining, they were mostly used by Mrs. Tredwell who was obligated to entertain social calls all day long. That was her role during this time period being the wife of a wealthy merchant. The 3rd and 4th floors were bedrooms, Mr. and Mrs. Tredwell had separate bedrooms on the 3rd floor, which was common place during that time. Married couples did not share bedrooms. The 4th floor housed the bedrooms for the children, and lastly, the top floor was reserved for the servants. The servants were reneged to the top floor because of the temperature conditions in the various seasons and how far up it was. The climb during the heat was unbearable at times, making it the least desirable area of the home. (ENY pg. 100) I found it very interesting that there was a separate family room in the downstairs of the home. it was only to be used by the Tredwell's, it was not ornately furnished like the rest of the home but rather comfortable and just had necessities. I also found it interesting that there was only one set of stairs in the home, I know that to be uncommon during this time because the owners of the home did not want to travel the same stairs as their servants at and the risk of running into them. According to the guide, the servants were largely young family-less Irish women and they were paid on average $3 a month, this was extremely cheap however working for these families gave them housing and protection. If they did not find a job like this they were forced to live in the area of the 5 points gang which would typically resulted in violence, and rape. I really enjoyed this museum and it was able to get a perspective on how the wealthy then lived.
We headed to Cooper Union after the museum. Cooper Union is a college for the sciences and art, specifically engineering. It was founded by Peter Cooper, a wealthy industrialist. He wanted to provide the working class with an education and due to some serious financial planning and the profit received from the rent of the land beneath the Chrysler Building, Cooper was able to create the only free private college in the US. In 2013, Cooper Union announced they had to charge tuition to their students for the first time. (ENY pg. 102) In Cooper Square they created a fancy new academic building. The building has one of the highest Leed scores and the inside was created to promote the free exchange of ideas. The inside of the building looks like a bee hive, and the outside is all glass meant to invite people in. It was impressive looking but not particularly my taste in architecture.
As we continued through the East Village, we made our way to St. Mark's place. In the 60s St. Mark's was the place for people to find a funky scene and mellow out, if you know what I mean. It has changed a bit since the 60s however it still has a "rebellious feel to it and attracts large numbers of 20-somethings to its head shops, record stores, and inexpensive eateries." (ENY pg. 104) This was very evident as we walked through it, there were tons of 20 year old hipsters sitting outside having a drink and groups of individuals walking by whose appearance was funky and care free. It is definitely a unique spot, that is worth checking out with some friends.
Tompkins Square Park is an interesting park, as we walked through we were told to observe what is different about this park than all the other parks we have seen. I did not pick up on it however once it was stated I couldn't stop seeing it. The whole park is gated off, all of the green areas are blocked. This was because of its past, the park was the place for social protest, and riots. Although it was infamous for riots, in 1988 one of the most famous riots took place. The police were attempting to remove all the homeless individuals from the park, the riots were televised and lead to issues of police brutality. Then in 1991 the park was closed to the public and re-opened in 1992 with all sections of the grass gated off from one another, making it impossible for large protests to form. (ENY pg. 106) It seems to have been successful, as we walked the park we mostly saw families and dog owners strolling through.
It was a very informative day, we learned a lot about the history of Chelsea and the Village and how it remains a must see spot in New York. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures to showcase the day because my cellphone was stolen on the way back to Penn while on the subway :(
This adventure to the city began by admiring the overall lackluster, hideous design of Penn Station. Penn Station is the busiest train station in the U.S., it sees over 600,000 passengers daily. (ENY. pg 113) It was named after the Pennsylvania Railroad and was at one time one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. It was in the Beaux-art style, with Greek columns, and its inspiration was the Baths of Carcalla in Rome. Unfortunately, there was no real preservation movements in place and in 1960s the station was torn down and replaced. It was argued that the previous station was too costly to maintain. I knew that this was not original station however I did not know just how stunning the original station was. It really is a shame, it is one of the most famous pieces of New York history and tourists come from all over to see it and well there is really nothing special to see. The only positive to come from this was some many New Yorkers were appalled by the destruction of the station and preservation movements began. It is almost impossible to tear down a historical building. (ENY. pg 114)
We headed to the Chelsea as we left Penn Station. Chelsea was not always the hip, art centered neighborhood that is known to be today. In the 1800s there was railroad tracks that ran through Chelsea making it a heavily industrialized area. The industry of the area drew immigrants in looking for work. It remained this way from many years, and then it started to attract artists because of all the empty warehouses. After this influx of artists, the abandoned above ground freight line was changed into an elevated garden, The Chelsea High line. This was my first visit to the High line, I did not know what to expect. It really makes you forget you are in the city, as you are surrounded by beautiful gardens. I really enjoyed seeing all the art from above, there were original pieces within the Highline, some pieces were displayed in people's backyards, and showcased on the sides of buildings. I really loved the piece displayed on the side of a building of the soldier dipping and kissing the woman after his return home. That piece as well as the painting of the city, including the subway car. The High line was open to the public in 2006 and has been a hit ever since. (ENY. pg. 84)
Chelsea is famous for its large number of art galleries. After we explored the High line, we headed to the galleries for a little culture. I am not crazy about modern art, I have trouble connecting to it and finding meaning in it. However, I really enjoyed the "Horses" exhibit by Deborah Butterfield at Danese Corey gallery. The exhibit was large, almost life size horse sculptures made of driftwood. They were so impressive, I was amazed by the accuracy and movement of the pieces. I have always had an appreciation for sculptures just the level of patience it takes to create one is impressive. I also enjoyed the gallery that featured large oil paint paintings of heads. The oil paint was applied in the thick impasto style, it is amazing the paint even dried. It is nice to know, especially as a college student that you can go into these galleries free of charge. At least its free to look at them because they are not even close to being affordable. (ENY pg. 85)
As we ventured through the Village, we started in the West Village and headed down Greenwich Avenue. Our first stop was Jefferson Market Garden and Jefferson Market Library. It was a beautiful garden, set up with tables and little nick-nacks. The building itself was in the High Victorian Gothic style and one of the only remaining ones in Manhattan (ENY pg. 90) however the real story behind the building was far more elicit. The library was used as the local courthouse at one time. It was the center of "The Crime of the Century", Harry K. Thaw was put on trail for the murder of Stanford White, the designer of Washington Square Arch. Thaw apparently shot White after White had an alleged affair with Thaw's fiancee. Thaw was eventually declared insane and put into an asylum. However, there were several accounts of White having unsatisfiable sexual desires and the scandalous affair with Thaw's fiancee was a wild media craze. It was interesting to hear about, even then people were still crazed by celebrity gossip and scandals. (ENY pg. 91) As we continued on walking Greenwich Ave, we passed Christopher Street. Christopher Street is largely associated with the gay rights movement. On Christopher Street, there is the Stonewall Inn, which is said to be one of the most important sites involved in the gay rights movement. The Stone Wall riots were the first organized gay movement, prior to this the punishment for a gay individual caught in the act included strangulation, burning, or being drowned. By the 20th century, there was more tolerance however they were still abused and discriminated against. In 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn as they normally would however this time the customers fought back. This lead to 6 days and nights of rioting, thousands of gay men and women took to the streets to protest. This event began movement for equal rights for gays and lesbians. (ENY pg. 92)
We then moved to Washington Square Park, the park itself very enjoyable to stroll through. As we first entered we observed a 300 year old massive Elm tree, which is 110ft high. This tree was known as "Hangman's Elm." Before the park was the park it is now, it was a potter's field and used for public executions. So it was quite creepy to think that we were walking on the burial ground for people. (ENY pg. 95) It has a large fountain in the center which provides a cool space in the heat of the summer. If you are standing outside of the park in front of the Arch, which was designed by Stanford White, you will notice the fountain is directly centered in the arch. That was not always the case, the fountain was moved to be in the center The Arch displayed Washington at war on the right and at peace on the left. Within the park itself are some interesting characters, there is the infamous pigeon man, some musicians, a painter, and a unique vendor. The pigeon man created a stir because as he stood up all the pigeons flocked and began flying very low over head, that was like a scene out the film the birds. After we explored the park we went to have lunch on McDougal street. The street is full of many different restaurants, all with very good food!
In the East Village we went Merchant's House Museum. I really enjoyed this museum. The museum is the preserved home of a wealthy family of the 19th century known as the Tredwell Family. The house was built in 1832 and purchased by the Tredwell family in 1835. The Tredwell's were a very large family, there was Mr. and Mrs. Tredwell and their 8 children. The youngest child, Gertrude lived in the house her entire life, even dying in the bedroom that was once her father's. Gertrude lived in the home for 93 years and really never changed anything to the home. (ENY pg. 99) The house and all its furnishings remained the same since 19th century. The house consisted of 5 floors and a backyard area. There was the bottom floor which served as a kitchen and family room for the Tredwells. The 2nd floor were two large rooms for entertaining, they were mostly used by Mrs. Tredwell who was obligated to entertain social calls all day long. That was her role during this time period being the wife of a wealthy merchant. The 3rd and 4th floors were bedrooms, Mr. and Mrs. Tredwell had separate bedrooms on the 3rd floor, which was common place during that time. Married couples did not share bedrooms. The 4th floor housed the bedrooms for the children, and lastly, the top floor was reserved for the servants. The servants were reneged to the top floor because of the temperature conditions in the various seasons and how far up it was. The climb during the heat was unbearable at times, making it the least desirable area of the home. (ENY pg. 100) I found it very interesting that there was a separate family room in the downstairs of the home. it was only to be used by the Tredwell's, it was not ornately furnished like the rest of the home but rather comfortable and just had necessities. I also found it interesting that there was only one set of stairs in the home, I know that to be uncommon during this time because the owners of the home did not want to travel the same stairs as their servants at and the risk of running into them. According to the guide, the servants were largely young family-less Irish women and they were paid on average $3 a month, this was extremely cheap however working for these families gave them housing and protection. If they did not find a job like this they were forced to live in the area of the 5 points gang which would typically resulted in violence, and rape. I really enjoyed this museum and it was able to get a perspective on how the wealthy then lived.
We headed to Cooper Union after the museum. Cooper Union is a college for the sciences and art, specifically engineering. It was founded by Peter Cooper, a wealthy industrialist. He wanted to provide the working class with an education and due to some serious financial planning and the profit received from the rent of the land beneath the Chrysler Building, Cooper was able to create the only free private college in the US. In 2013, Cooper Union announced they had to charge tuition to their students for the first time. (ENY pg. 102) In Cooper Square they created a fancy new academic building. The building has one of the highest Leed scores and the inside was created to promote the free exchange of ideas. The inside of the building looks like a bee hive, and the outside is all glass meant to invite people in. It was impressive looking but not particularly my taste in architecture.
As we continued through the East Village, we made our way to St. Mark's place. In the 60s St. Mark's was the place for people to find a funky scene and mellow out, if you know what I mean. It has changed a bit since the 60s however it still has a "rebellious feel to it and attracts large numbers of 20-somethings to its head shops, record stores, and inexpensive eateries." (ENY pg. 104) This was very evident as we walked through it, there were tons of 20 year old hipsters sitting outside having a drink and groups of individuals walking by whose appearance was funky and care free. It is definitely a unique spot, that is worth checking out with some friends.
Tompkins Square Park is an interesting park, as we walked through we were told to observe what is different about this park than all the other parks we have seen. I did not pick up on it however once it was stated I couldn't stop seeing it. The whole park is gated off, all of the green areas are blocked. This was because of its past, the park was the place for social protest, and riots. Although it was infamous for riots, in 1988 one of the most famous riots took place. The police were attempting to remove all the homeless individuals from the park, the riots were televised and lead to issues of police brutality. Then in 1991 the park was closed to the public and re-opened in 1992 with all sections of the grass gated off from one another, making it impossible for large protests to form. (ENY pg. 106) It seems to have been successful, as we walked the park we mostly saw families and dog owners strolling through.
It was a very informative day, we learned a lot about the history of Chelsea and the Village and how it remains a must see spot in New York. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures to showcase the day because my cellphone was stolen on the way back to Penn while on the subway :(